Shattered Hourglass
by alexluvzbean
Summary: ...The clockwork tower had been misaligned, the story's clockmaker, though flawless each time before, had turned the hourglass too soon. This fatal mistake would be the last, as the sudden stress on the glass would cause it to shatter, and each carefully aligned particle of sand seeped untamed, unguided, into the unknown chasm that laid below. /Fem!Link, rating tentative, bimonthly
1. Prologue

Prologue

Endless curse, endless cures, each lifetime, each generation more elaborate and passionate than before. The cycle has remained intact for centuries, perhaps millennia. With each new tale, new opportunities open for both hero and villain to interact as the oblivious world continues to explore around the characters. Only for a few decades at a time in sporadic waves of unknown prevalence does the story convert fiction to fact. During the times however, when the saga does not take place, inventions are made, theories are drawn, and the vast world becomes gradually smaller. It is the 300th continuation of this cycle that this story takes place. A time when fairies and dragons have hidden themselves, becoming nothing more than myth, while the legendary hero and villain have been all but forgotten under the din of the bustling ships that fly far higher than even the clouds the home of the original hero rested upon thousands of years before…

The shrill voice urged the child forward. This was not supposed to happen, how could she have been found? The small lavender palms of the pixie prodded the infant; the golden haired baby she had spotted could have been no more than two. No, spotted is inadequate in this situation. Iridia, the pixie, had not spotted this girl, she had been tailing her from the moment she was lead from the only haven for the young girl within 100 kilometers. The forest was vast. A gemlike emerald hue speckled the many trees surrounding the two in their immediate vicinity, while a darker jade enhanced the trees further in the background, giving the whole scene the semblance that it glowed. Unsurprisingly, this radiant woodland housed many creatures, some even that had been long deemed folklore. The pixies rarely divulged their presence to the 'ever-innovative' humans, yet their impish nature and their desire to deceive the species had left the knowledge of their existence in the hands of their larger, peach skinned, counterparts.

Iridia had no particular interest in the boorish species. It was much more rewarding to prank one of her own kind. The challenge of trickery and the pride she felt when receiving reactions from her peers was far more incentive for Iridia; more than a dull-faced genus with colorless skin would ever surmount. Still, she knew the importance of this small girl, peachy as she was. Though she may insult, scare, and perhaps even scathe the Blondie, under no circumstance would she leave her to fall into the calloused hands; give her to a man whose piercing features matched the fiery color of blood that would trail behind his reign. His most terrifying aspects, or so she had heard anyways, were his garnet eyes that shone crimson as they flashed with bloodlust and his horrendously devilish grin as he scored his unwilling victims. Seemed a little far-fetched, even to the pixie but, playful as she was, Iridia lacked the curiosity to unravel the mystery knowing that, if true, these features would haunt her slowly in her frozen state of horror as the reaper sent her swiftly to the grave. More importantly, regardless of her interest, Iridia had to prioritize the safety of the girl, the only one able to triumph.

Lynnette ran as fast as she could. The small purple fairy hovered next to her. Tired of running for so long, but terrified to rest in fear of the petit pointy devil with wings, she continued. She was unsure of why she needed to move so fast, completely unaware of the urgency her situation entailed. Hours before she had stumbled out of her village. A shimmering butterfly had drawn her attention as it gracefully fluttered past her. This tiny insect guided the tiny idol from her sanctuary meant to leave her undetected from the prying eyes of unwanted fans until her debut. Unknown to either Lynnette or Iridia, however, the silver winged creature was not guiding by the golden child by mistake.

The malevolent king had learnt of his role in the legend far before the cogs had been set to turn and tick. The clockwork tower had been misaligned, the story's clockmaker, though flawless each time before, had turned the hourglass too soon. This fatal mistake would be the last, as the sudden stress on the glass would cause it to shatter, and each carefully aligned particle of sand seeped untamed, unguided, into the unknown chasm that laid below.

The girls had been running for what seemed to be a timeless reign. The pixie was infuriated that the girl would be so stupid as to ignore the words of her elders. She was not to leave the village; Melidia would be scolded for allowing her daughter to be so free-willed. The village was embedded in a valley between rugged mountains. The location of Lynnette's birth had been prime for her safety. There was one main path that led to the village. Lynnette had run straight through the pebbled pass, and had strayed far into the woods before the pixie had managed to alert the child of her presence. They had wandered deep into the wooded area surrounding the hidden town, and had somehow found themselves getting further from the goddess barrier protecting the girl as their intended route was continuously blocked by new terrain, altered from when they had run by before.

As they continued to stray further from the haven, the pixie became increasing aware of the creeping darkness. Her internal sense of the danger was heightened as the sparkling hues of the forest, slowly dimmed and became ashen, dulled by the dwindling illumination. Eventually, her own craven nature allowed her to draw the horrifying conclusion; the changing path of the forest was intentional. The exaggerated shadows looming closer each time the third hand passed the clock drew her attention to the abnormal speed the darkness was spreading. Her realization, however, would be unable to pierce the foreboding shade that minute-by-minute etched closer. The edge of the barrier, even unknown to Iridia, was less then a mile beyond their trail. The darkness soon encompassed the duo. Lynnette soon grew weary and even the jarring jabs of her jagged escort could not prevent her liquidized legs to crumble beneath her. A scarlet hint flashed in the corner of the pixie's eyes. She realized, much too late, that she had driven the girl from the very barrier she strove desperately to return her to.


	2. Introduction: Scarlet

Introduction: Scarlet

Seemingly cursed by fate, he had only known sorrow. His inferno of inner despise was mirrored by the lava that sprouted from his head in long, lustrous, silky strands. Auric eyes shone with determination despite the bloody path that had blurred his vision for the past decade. The arid desert he left behind was, even now, smirched with a rufescent glow, left behind from his beloved kin who had been annihilated from the world. The legend of evil, attributed to his heritage, spurred throughout the land, not leaving an amiable impression on his faction. News of the birth of the new addition to the royal lineage arose a malicious siege on the already barren lands the Gerudo had long been confined to.

Downpours of blood seeped into the ornamental rug that concealed the boy's presence. Every royal in the palace was mercilessly slaughtered in their home, refusing to divulge the hidden cavern where the miracle oasis, the only male heir of the family in centuries who would surely liberate the tribe from the wastelands, was concealed. True to the nature of their race, each kept an unyielding strength with the desire to keep the boy safe.

While in his cavern, Gantz, though not more than five, had understood the severity in his mother's words; he was to remain silent and still. He heard terrorizing shrieks above him, voices of all the women who had provided his light. As the nightmare continued, the voices slowly concentrated as the scuffling feet above were ushered to one general area. Not far from his hideout, Gantz could piece together fragments of the dialogue. He could hear each determined voice of the strong guardians. None would give the answer to the questions the intruders seemed to continuously bombard them with. Eventually, after perceivably endless refusals, he heard a small explosion. A suffocating silence entailed and then chaos ensued. He listened, as each pair of feet seemed to diverge into all directions. More of the gunshots followed. The clatter above him slowly dwindled as fewer footsteps beset the castle. Shortly after, his heart nearly shattered as he heard a familiar voice.

Servaria had always had a gentle tone. She had shown endearing zeal for her son, demonstrating obvious fondness towards each activity she could spare the time to enjoy with Gantz. The boy had been enchanted with his kind mother. Her rouge wisps that matched his own were always braided in elaborate fashions: waterfalls, fishtails, halos, and spirals. Her golden irises mirrored his own. His mother was undoubtedly the most enchanting empress he could have imagined ruling a country. Now, this melodic voice curdled into a discordant jangle. Servaria shrieked as what sounded like a blade pieced her body. An eerie silence crept though the acropolis. The jumbled footsteps had ceased and all that remained was a solitary clicking that skulked out of the citadel. When his gait no longer echoed the halls, Gantz waited. Soon, he heard a rumble outside his abode. Suddenly, tremors ran through the palace as he felt the castle was slowly breaking. The invaders continued to fire their cannons until nothing but ruins remained of the former empire.

After what seemed an eternity, the young boy scuffled out of his crevice. His former world was nothing more than tattered frames resting under rubble. The exquisite portrait of him and his mother that had once hung above the golden staircase, sat shattered in the shards intermixed with the fragments of stone that lay before him. He stood in awe at the spectacle before him. The bloody sight of battered bodies littered the scene. Gantz stood horrified as the events slowly sank in. He slowly crouched to the ground and, unable to support his weight, collapsed face down as he broke into sobs. A soft voice broke through the heart wrenching cries of the child. Lillian, one of the most loyal capable servants in the palace, placed her warm fingers on Gantz's shoulder. He looked up to the source of serenity and buried his tear stained face into the tall chestnut haired woman before him. Though but a stranger to the child, she was the only comfort he could find in his despair.

This peace, sadly, had to be cut short. Lillian was a bright girl. She had hidden within the secret chambers of the palace, knowing no one would be looking for a simple servant with the adherent fervor that they searched for the queen. Though she hated to show cowardice, hiding was her duty as a nameless maid. Though she had hoped earnestly that it would not be the case, if the palace were to fall, someone must remain alive to guide the now abandoned child to a new home, to safety. Thus, ignoring her very nature, she abandoned her comrades and friends and remained behind in the shadows incase such a despicable outcome were to occur. After the hours of torture, hearing her comrades fall, yet unable to give any sort of aid, she waited until the brutish force left the ruins, knowing that the outcome would be bleak if she were discovered. She found the poor child lying sullied in the rubbish, dirtied by the soil in which he laid. She knew they would not have much time to escape once in the open, out of their shadowy safe haven.

Quickly, Lillian threw the child onto her back and ran through the barren lands, hoping to make it to the forest that surrounded their wasteland for shelter. As she passed through the once bustling town, she discovered, repelled, that the cannons had not stopped at the palace gates. Bodies surrounded her as she weaved to the village outskirts. She prayed, with all her might, that they would remain undetected until they were out of the seemingly deadly trail beyond the city. Though the cover in the desert was sparse, she knew how to maneuver her homelands better than most. Her mother had worked as an archeologist of sorts, working on the outskirts of the city, even wandering into the borders of the nation searching for treasures she could document and sell. Though passionate about her discoveries, the land she worked in was less than fruitful. Therefore, despite her desire to keep the treasures she found, she sold them to the merchants who periodically passed through the deserts to acquire her famous possessions. Lillian had gone with her mother on many of these journeys. The desert had almost no obvious landmarks, but navigation and speed through the desert trails was crucial for her mother's profession. Every grounded rock, variation in cacti, even certain hills that remained relatively unchanged in the winds of the sand sea, were invaluable guides to pilot the passage before them. As such, Lillian would be able to take Gantz to the forest border on unguided roads, allowing the two to remain undetected.

Getting to the desert was another dilemma. The miscreants who had attacked their home would no doubt be looking for any stragglers. Their most obvious target would be any young red-haired boy that caught their attention. The town was small but there were many hidden streets and turns Lillian knew of to take. Though covered in debris, the more obscure paths Lillian knew of remained relatively free of the destruction that befell the more populated areas of the city. The small grey granite cobblestones that created the narrow paths were unimpeded by the clay homes that still stood above them. Scattered explosions could be heard echoing along the streets, reverberating along the enclosed routes of the city layout. To Lillian's relief, the sounds seemed to come from no particular direction, which she prayed to imply that they had no target in mind and were simply firing artillery at random in hopes of scaring the citizens into presenting the child. More unexpected was the next sound Lillian almost failed to recognize.

 _Where is Mother?_

…Words, sounding almost more foreign than the disruptive firearms in the chaos, left Lillian at a loss.

 _I don't understand what's going on. Hey…Miss…what's going on?_

Lillian had one goal in mind, to get the child to safety, but dealing with his emotional state left the young girl at a loss. Lillian was scared. Hiding and escaping quickly was the girl's best strength. The desert was dangerous, and predators were more prevalent than most would think in such a vapid land, as well as other dangerous humanoids that sought the treasures Lillian and her mother had found. Her journeys had certainly given her the skills needed to carry a small weight without loosing speed or stealth. Dealing with a living burden however was not something she had prepared for. The silence between them continued to linger as Lillian searched for a response. Gantz grew more fidgety and increased the volume of his questions

 _Hey! Why won't you answer me? Miss what's going on?_

…

 _Are you one of the ones who made all those noises? What happened to my Mother? Where are we going?_

 _I…_

But as Lillian tried to form an answer for the young Gerudo, it was too late. The boy had settled to a panic and started fighting against the girl. His screams grew louder, his words less coherent. Soon Lillian lost some of her speed as she tried to keep the boy settled on her back from kicking and wiggling free of her grasp. She shifted her grip to hold more firmly onto his legs to prevent them from kicking, only to be assaulted by his small fists that pulled on her long, loose strands of ginger hair. She could no longer run and hold onto Gantz. Though small, his movements were powerful and inhibited any further movement. Sighing, she decided it would be best to inform her prince of the situation as quickly and efficiently as possible in order to continue unbridled.

 _Gantz,_ he twitched at the sound of his name. She spoke in a soft voice as she tried to mimic her mother's tone when she was a girl, _there are men here who want to hurt you. They have invaded and crumpled our home and will not stop until they find us. What has happened is terrible, but we have to move quickly or they will discover us. We don't have time to talk now but I promise, once we are safer, I will do my best to explain what has happened. Please believe me, you have to let me help you. Please release my hair. I will let go of your feet._

As Lillian slowly loosened her grasp on his legs, Gantz looked at her and released his fists. He looked into her silver eyes, water welling under his tear ducts, and hid his face under Lillian's neck, buried under twists of hazel locks.

 _Thank you._

Gantz remained silent as they continued on the twisting paths. Lillian felt him grip tighter onto the back of her red blouse. She finally turned onto a long path that dwindled out into the borderlands that surrounded the village. Of course, the men who attacked the village were slightly less than incompetent. Though spread more thinly, they had sets of eyes surrounding the perimeter of the town allowing them to spot any citizens leaving, even on seemingly remote paths. As such, only a group of four actually scouted the area the two were escaping from. A shattering bang could be heard as multiple shots were firing at them. However, as many of the large group of ruffians were dispersed throughout the town, few recognized the sounds made shooting at the pair was in fact indicating the discovery of their actual target, easily recognizable even at a far distance, a young boy. Gantz screamed as one of the shooters explosive detonated just twenty feet from their location. As they got further from the city, three of the men started chasing them as one continued to fire. Lillian, however, had covered a fair bit of ground and had quite a decent amount of speed. Still, the men were fairly fast and had portable weapons that could easily overpower her. Having the weight of a small child on her back also significantly decreased her speed.

As Lillian ran, she remembered one of the closest locations he could take cover in and hopefully escape from, a hidden burial chamber. Fortune was on her side as the men were far enough behind that she could enter the underground maze without the men easily seeing the way to unlock the entrance if she could just keep up this pace. After twenty minutes of the harsh continuous running, she finally approached the sand mounds lining a large rock with thousands of tiny markings in the center. By now, her pursuers were but a few hundred meters from the weary Gerudian woman. It was also insured that the goon who had stayed behind had surely informed his ragtag group of their flight into the wastelands, ensuring further search. Reaching the rock centerpiece, she pressed her hand to the sideways lowercase h marking decorated with a curl on the end of the familiar letter, and the rock rumbled, as it shifted to reveal a large tunnel. Quickly she ran down the carved stairs and pressed a symbol akin to a snail shell with an outstretched arm as she sprinted down, causing the rock to reverse it's path and start to reseal as her last strands of hair flew down the cavern with her, leaving her nearing pursuers at a loss as to how to continue the chase.

Once in the seemly sealed cavern, the pair became encompassed by darkness. Somehow Lillian made it to the bottom without any major stumbles, and placed the child on the ground. Using the power of her race, though comparably weak to most, she lit her hands with a small blaze, illuminating the tomb. Lillian had never been especially skilled at magic, but even she could concoct such a basic form of fire. Though above it would seem the tunnel was closed from the outside world, small pockets of dry, sandy air seeped in from holes above, along with small streams of solid sand, shielded from unwanted onlookers from the dusty sand winds that constantly swarmed the desert, but keeping the caverns from becoming humid and dank as a consequence of the aeration. The magic permeating the cavern kept at bay large pools of sand from burying the underground chambers, keeping the sentimental place in tact.

Lillian peered down at the child who accompanied her, looking amazed at the tunnels they walked through. She kept him at a steady pace knowing the monsters who had ravished the town above them would bring enough firearms to wipe clean the guardian of the mausoleum, allowing them to continue their mad pursuit. Gantz, however, stopped. The tunnels glowed with radiant red gemlike gleams that shone from the miniscule light floating in Lillian's hands. The catacombs held intermittent statues or other types of monuments giving honor to the fallen ancestors of olden times. Even more infrequent were grave makers with writing. One such momentum was a large, imposing statue of a great man. He featured long unkempt hair, a polished beard, and sharp piercing eyes. His hair was encrusted with a marvelous crown, embellished with a large jewel that fell just before his imposing eyebrows that seemed to shine with a golden gleam, despite the fact that the statue had been carved in marble. His garments included a long, regal cape, and an elaborate costume that mimicked battle amour of ancient warriors of the Gerudo clan. The breastplate had a main centerpiece lined with two plates that stretched out to the belt. The belt had two parts, crossing in the center, each adorned with three ovular plates decorated in a fantastic pattern at the bottoms. Though the pants were simple, they ended with decorated boots, which matched the amour like gloves protecting his arms. Seeming to forget his shock and curiosity for the abhorrence above, Gantz addressed Lillian with questions regarding the outstanding marker.

 _Miss, who is this man, he looks to be the same race as us, but his attire seems to be rather regal. Was he of our clan?_

 _Gantz, this man is the legendary warrior of our tribe who is the very reason those men are after you. According to the tale passed down for many generations, he was once a great ruler of our people who desired to expand our empire from the lifeless desert into the lush forests of Hyrule. He set out with wonderful intentions for our people, but in the end, he was corrupted by his personal desire for power and was defeated by the ancient green clad hero. This monument was build not only in memory of his great intentions for our people, but also to remember how desire for power can lead to corruption. The crypt in which we stand was once essential to our monarchs, before you or I drew our first breaths. For each ruler that came after this man, the statue of Ganaondorf, reminds them both aspects of power, in hopes of preventing zealous ideas of freedom and better lives for our people to cloud their better judgment._

 _Statue… of Ganondorf… Miss… what is your name?_

Lillian let out a soft chuckle that the boy would ask such a question after all of their short time together. After the nightmare above, it was almost calming to have a somewhat normal conversation with the child.

 _Lillian._

 _Lillian, that's rather odd for a Gerudo._

 _Oh, well that's not my birth name; I have just used it for so long it is natural to introduce myself as such._

 _I don't understand?_

 _My mother was a treasure hunter of sorts, to simplify the tale, and thus took me with her on her adventures. After the accumulation of whatever goods she desired to sell, we would meet up with merchants. Since Ivili Kigosa is not the easiest name to pronounce, my mother simply introduced me as Lillian, the closest sounding name she could think of that would be easy to address me as._

 _Ah, I see, Lillian is preferable then?_

His sudden change in speech was a little concerning, but Lillian brushed it off.

 _Either way is fine._

 _Right, Lillian, this man, Ganondorf, once you said that name, for some reason feels incredibly familiar. What is it about him that drives these men to harm me?_

 _Err…_ Lillian was starting to feel a bit erturbed by the fairly high level Gantz held for one so young, and the increasing confidence his tone was starting to hold, making her feel the need to address the boy more formally, _…your highness, the legend states that royal male Gerudo's are in fact his reincarnation… or some such silliness. But as far as I can tell, the devilish races of Hyrule look for any excuse they can to persecute and attack our people for as long as I can remember. Our people today, however, will not soon forget this treachery. Gantz,_ the boy again gave a small twitch at the use of his name _, your highness, I don't have words for my sincere consolation. You are very young, but seem to understand the gist of what has happened._

 _Yes, I do apologize for my earlier outburst, my mother, the queen; she raised me to behave more respectfully then some sniveling infant. I apologize for my previous persona I can only attribute to hysteria with regards to my loss. I understand your need to address me so informally as by my name, but do try to keep your position in mind, Lillian._

 _My, majesty, I… I do apologize for my informality…Then you… do you know… understand what happened to your mother?_

Their conversation came to a halt. Gantz peered towards Lillian, then, after one final look at the strangely familiar feeling he got from the statue, continued walking at their previous pace. His demeanor had changed dramatically from the sobbing child Lillian had believed she had saved. As his shock seemed to subside. He became more regal, despite his age, and walked with a dignity and elegance Lillian could not believe she could ever be capable of. His sudden transformation seemed incomprehensible to the girl. She felt a bit stiff as she tried to straighten her posture for respect. They traveled through the dimly lit catacombs until reaching a sealed end of the tunnel. They stood in front of a huge decorated stone that seemed to be guarding some sort of entrance. Lillian was unsure of what to do. She had never been this far in the caves, but she had been sure the tunnels were meant to lead to a second entrance. They were known to be an ancient path used for the tribe to escape intruders. However, this knowledge had long expired from common, and few texts even claimed to prove this true. Her stomach sunk as she realized the knowledge she believed she possessed on the passageway could have just lead them into a dead end, with an army behind them. Gantz however, since regaining his true nature, stared at the markings that resembled a door, and strategically placed his fingers onto three different markings, then removed his hand and resettled his palm in the center that formed a circle.

The crypt shook as the sealed entrance slowly opened and light shone through the darkness that the pairs eyes had accustomed themselves to. Lillian cried in relief as she looked around and recognized their exit as ancient stones she had often seen on her trips to the desert that had always baffled her mother as to its purpose. She peered Gantz who looked directly forward, completely unfazed by the miracle Lillian believed she had just witnessed. His emotionless look encouraged Lillian not to prod him for answers about what he had just done. Instead, she informed him that she knew where they were, and excitedly claimed they were mere hours from the forest she sought to take the boy to safety. The two made their way out of the dusty wasteland into the greenery of the forests that was the border to Hyrule as the mysterious tomb door closed behind them.

Author's Notes || Comments

Hopefully Ganondorf's statue description is alright, but if you are having difficulty picturing his image, he is suppose to look like the Ganondorf from Hyrule Warriors :)

Also, for those that didn't know, my goal is to update every second Thursday EST(bimonthly). I will post a note if something comes up (exams, vacation, illness-god forbid)!

Let me know what you think -if you like how I've transitioned the story (happy with the background story, hate it and and wondering what happened to the main timeline story, think the placing is odd or wonderful), if my dialogue sucks (but actually sorry about that...), what you want to see more of (or less of), and anything else you like or hate (surprise me!)- with a review :D

I do have all of the story laid out, but the chapters are all loosely defined so the story has wiggle room, but for those of you who are worried about it being dropped or whatnot, rest at ease as it has a defined outcome and a basic plot it intends to follow... just thought I would mention it because when I read a FF, I die when I read like 3 amazing chapters or whatever, and then the story never resurfaces again (not that my chapters are amazing but if you are enjoying it, I know it would be annoying if it died :0 )

Anyways, ;ove you all for reading my story and hopefully you'll enjoy sticking with me for the next chapter! See you in two weeks with chapter 3, or whatever the title is ;)


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

The red god came before them. His fiery mane drew a gasp from the child beneath him. His eyes flashed with amusement. Such a small, frail girl was to be his downfall? The scene momentarily stunned Iridia yet, the god was no more than a young boy. Yes, more imposing than her companion, but that was a low bar as far as the pixie was concerned. As she came up with a plan, the young girl next to her observed the imposing figure.

Lynette looked up at the man in awe. His flaming locks reminded her of the sunset. His golden eyes were like the very sun itself. The warm rays of light the day brought had kissed his skin, leaving it a beautiful bronze. It reminded her of the shiny ornaments her mother bestowed upon her when she was pleased.

She was a bit perplexed by his foreign attire. He wore a fabric around his waist that looked like a type of skirt cape, that ripped at the bottoms and only covered him in the back, exposing his odd looking pants, which were black and puffy. His puffy pants were covered by his gold and black boots that started at his ankle. Around his neck he wore a fabulous ruby colored cape that extended to his knees, mimicking the skirt-like sash he wore around his waist. His arms were covered in what she could best describe as fabric gauntlets wrapped in leather strings to keep them on. He appeared to have some type of weapon stored in the sash around his waist, kept on by a bronze belt connected to a small white piece of fabric that fell gracefully to the beginning of his upper thigh.

In short, Lynette thought the man before her was stunning.

While Lynette stared in amazement at what she believed to be an angelic warrior of the sun, Iridia had devised a method of escape. Pixies, though small, could use a very cunning type of magic that allowed for deceit and disguise. One spell in particular, Iridia believed would be a great cover while they darted back into the safeguard. As she started to cast the spell however, the young man before them decided to act.

Noticing the hand gestures the violet girl was concocting, Gantz motioned towards his sheathed sword. Iridia's eye's widened as the silver weapon was drawn. Though simple in design, the sword gave a regal impression. Lined with a golden hilt with a large ruby embedded in the center, the long sword extended about two meters, indented close to the hilt with two semicircles on either side. Extending from the hilt were metal protrusions that mimicked bat wings. The grip of the sword was a simple gold that ended in a spade shape containing another gem resembling a ruby in the center of the shape.

Fear overcame the small pixie as the metal clashed against its container upon exit. She was so overwhelmed by her terror that she immediately fled, ignoring her entire goal up till then to keep the bratty girl safe. All she could think of as her mind blackened from her perceived predator closing in, was escape.

The lion before them, however, did not pursue his pathetic prey. Instead, his attention refocused, and his gaze flashed to the young girl before him. He gazed at her silky golden strands that curled in the front due to the sweat she had created while running for so long. Her azure sapphire eyes shone brilliantly at him, regarding him constantly. Her outfit was a very simple long green dress with a white collar and long puffy sleeves that ended with large white cuffs. On her legs she wore black leggings, and simple rusty brown clogs that covered her feet. Her skin was rosy and light as fresh cream, delicate as silk.

He hesitated for a moment. The girl looked less intimidating than an infant doe and she looked at him with an incomprehensible stare, which he could only describe as affection. As he was retracting from his momentary pause and went to raise his weapon of death, the small girl shocked him.

Lifted from her awe and reenergized from her incessant running, the girl had lifted herself off her feet and jumped onto Gantz, locking her arms around his neck. The Gerudo man did not comprehend for a moment what had just happened. He then realized, stupefied, that the toddler was actually embracing him. He dropped his weapon and looked at the girl in amazement as she spoke to him joyfully.

"Mr. Angel, thank you for saving me! I never thought someone would come and help me get away from that evil purple demon, she has been chasing me for hours. I am so tired, and I don't know how to get back home." Lynette buried her face into Gantz neck, hiding a bit under his long hair.

"Mr. Angel, do you know how to get home? You came from the sun to help me get home right? Because the sun is gone so you came in it's place! The elders always say the Goddess is watching me to help me be stronger, so she sent you here to help me get away from the mean demon and get me home right? Thank you so much for coming, I know you must be really busy on the sun, keeping people warm and safe!"

Gantz was completely bewildered by the words of the child. He had no idea what type of misunderstanding she held, but he was positive now that the girl looked at him as some kind of hero for scaring the deplorable pixie away from the two. He wondered what sorts of things had happened to the girl since he sent his fluttering messenger to lead her astray. His plan had been simple, to guide the girl from her home and swiftly end her life, allowing him to achieve the goals he had set out to accomplish without any sort of hindrance along his path. However, seeing the girl now, especially given her strangely endearing personality, he was starting to have second thoughts about his attempted assassination.

As he was about to question the girl for her misinterpretation, and perhaps give her some insight as to his identity to see her reaction once she learned the truth, the annoying imp that had been accompanying the girl before interrupted him. Iridia, believing the very core of the world's current existence rested on the young girl, had returned in order to deliver Lynette back to the safety behind the barrier.

In order to fend off the sudden intrusion, Gantz peeled the girl off his neck and placed her gently onto the ground, picking up his sword in the process. Instead of running back to her side, as expected, Lynette stood by the flaming god.

"Girl, what do you think you're doing?!" The pixie addressed her.

Instead of responding directly to Iridia, Lynette drew her eyes from the beastly winged monster and turned to her golden angel. "Mr. Angel, you'll help me, right? You'll make her go away and take me back home, right?"

"What in God's name do you think you're sputtering, you ungrateful wench? I can't believe you would…" But the pixie's words were abruptly halted as the reaper glanced at her with his icy eyes. His metallic piercing stare left her speechless and unable to utter more insults at the selfish bimbo. Still, she had pride as a pixie, and was determined to bring the blubbering wretch home. As she prepared an attack of her beautiful powder magic, intending to blind the beast, and maybe even make the crybaby suffer a bit in the process, she halted, hearing his husky voice.

"Pixie worm, I do not know your impression of your current situation, nor do I understand the minds of impish creatures such as your lowly self. I, however, bestow you a grace that only one mighty as myself might offer: you may retreat. Even if the pathetic grime you intend to throw at me does serve your initial purpose, I assure you, it will more likely fail and it is certain that it will do more to incur suffering upon your already listless body. For an inconceivable reason, this child has latched herself to my person. As the just ruler I intend to be, I do not inflict harm upon my loyal subjects, nor do I subjugate them to the inexplicable wrath of an insolent, insignificant being. If you wish to end your life here, you are welcome to attempt your amusingly meager magic on my great self, but if you enjoy the lights granted to those living, I would advise receding to the haven you believe to be safe from my reign before you test my patience."

Iridia started to see flashes of black as her life bombarded her vision. She recalled the visions of her beautiful forest homeland that had served her and her companions for the duration of her life. She recalled hiding behind the giant mist mushrooms in the parks of her small village in order to watch her graceful tricks unfold on her pixie comrades. She remembered being chased around the village, laughing, after one of her elaborate plans succeeded on one of her more disheveled patrons. She remembered waking up after a light rain and seeing the beautiful dewdrops fall from the leaves as she flew by and the Crystal Rivers that sparkled in the afternoon from the shinning sun in the middle of the sky.

Her eyes then returned to the brat in front of her, hiding slightly behind the foul beast of a man, gripping tightly to his loose bottoms. As she looked at the disgusting sight, she determined the value of this girl could not have been more important than her own existence, and the wimpy bitch could not have possibly been the savior spoken of in legends. She gave it one final look-over and scoffed as she sped back into her homeland, uninterested now in the fate of this dull supposed legend.

"You'll regret this girl! One day you will realize, this is the biggest mistake of your pathetic short life. If you're not already dead, that is." The demon spat as she flew off. Lynette now looked at her hero and smiled. He had said he was a ruler, so he must be a king or a prince of the sun! She felt very lucky to have met such a beautiful person and she looked up into his eyes, smiling that he had been so kind.

Gantz remembered the words of his mother so long ago to remain a just ruler that always cared for his loyal subjects. He remembered the monument resembling the tainted king that had stained his race's name for so long. Though the legend he had learned stated he would be defeated by the hands of this child, determination to overcome the legend that had cursed his fate supposedly so long again was strong, and he would overcome it without sinking so low as to kill an infant child and abandon his morals.

"Mr. Angel, I knew you would help me! But Mr. Angel, you said you were a ruler, right? Does that mean you're a prince? Do you rule the Sun with the Goddess?"

"Child, I do not know where this notion that I am an angel, or that I am some being of the sun, has been conceived from, but I am indeed the future ruler of Hyrule, the country in which we live."

"So you're a prince then! Mr. Prince, what is your name?"

"Gantz, child."

"Prince Gantz! My name is Lynette Elinari Cephaya. I'm so happy to have met you! Thank you."

"Lynette, I see. Well child, I…" suddenly the girl in front of him collapsed. Gantz was unaware as to how to proceed. He had resolved not to kill her, that was guaranteed, but he did not intend to keep her with him. He noticed the girl's breathing was stable, he concluded she had fallen due to the exhaustion that had led her to the outskirts of the forest she grew up in.

Gantz was unsure if he could take the child to her town. He was aware that there was some sort of protection to keep him from reaching her until she was able to fight him as an equal, according to this blasphemous legend. Still, he walked towards the town he knew lie within. To even the great future ruler's surprise, as he continued to walk forward, nothing happened. There was no force that kept him from proceeding forward. Though momentarily perturbed, he continued down the small dirt path.

The forest he traveled was rather breathtaking, completely different from his homeland. The moon shone onto the small leaves lining the trail. Silvers and dark greens emerged on either side, and through the holes in the thicket, he could make out a lake that glistened with the illumination of the night sky above. He became somewhat envious of the girl and he looked down at the peaceful child in his arm. He enjoyed sauntering down the path as he eventually reached what appeared to be a small civilization. He could make out a couple of dim lights about 500 meters in front of the pair.

The girl suddenly stirred as he quietly approached the town. She beamed seeing her golden prince was still with her, and squirmed out of his grasp to stand in front of him.

"Prince Gantz! I'm so happy to see you're still here. You took me all the way back to my home! I am so happy to have such a wonderful prince in charge of everyone! I bet the country loves you. I know you are very busy, but do you think I can see you again? I will miss you very much and I want to give you a present next time for being so wonderful. I want to find something that will look nice in your pretty hair!"

Gantz peered at the child once more and was still baffled by her mannerisms and character. Still, he found her innocence and sweetness had an inherent charm and he agreed, even unknown as to why himself, to meet with her again the next full moon. He told her about the butterfly messenger he had sent earlier and told her he would use it again to guide her to him. As he left the excited child behind him, his golden eyes shone in the moonlight as he was determined to play this clockwork tale with his own set of rules and achieve his desired outcome.

Author's Note:

Hopefully you all liked that chapter, I'm back on the main story again!

I am sorry I posted it kind of late today. I am working on a cover for the book and got really sidetracked so... sorry about that .

If you enjoyed, please leave a comment or review, but if you had an issue or concern with the story, let me know as well so I can fix it or work on it at least for next chapter! I am completely open to constructive criticism, but I would prefer it at least be constructive, and not simply "I hate this, because I do." I find that surprisingly unhelpful :0

Thanks for sticking with me for another chapter and see you in two weeks for the next post!

Love you all 3

-Alex


	4. Interlude: Vryizd

Interlude : Vryizd

As the sun kissed sky slowly faded into deeper vermillion hues, Melidia began to sweat. Her daughter never failed to appear to gorge her seemingly endless void with the succulent fruits provided by the wilderness enveloping their realm.

Her daughter's appetite was comparable to one of the hardworking farmers who grew the majority of the town's produce. The mother could not quite fathom how such a tiny body could process such an enormous amount of food during each meal. She did seem to have inexplicable growth, so perhaps her child simply needed the energy for sprouting faster than a nurtured weed.

Reminiscing on thoughts of her daughter, Melidia refocused her gaze out to the horizon overlooking her village. She looked out over the tiny houses below her. She gazed at the tall hills that rose above the trees her own abode rested atop. Sometimes, she thought about the world beyond. She had been once when she was a girl, with her own father Reyson. As the town's kingdom representative, he had to take many journeys outside of their veiled village.

She remembered the huge open grassy fields she passed on the way to the kingdom. The scattered trees that were inconsistent with the memories of her village surrounded by dense forests, where one might only make out the vast blue skies through tiny holes where the sun peaked through the tall trees. The immenseness of the endless fields had opened her eyes to how very small and compact her tiny village really was. The beautiful azure skies with their large puffy white clouds, so far out of reach, took the girl's breath away.

As she continued her travels and passed through the tiny bustling towns with large markets filled with fresh produce and animals she never even believed existed were sold as common commodities, her home started to feel suffocating and insignificant in comparison. The variety of people, some of whom had small rounded ears, unlike her own larger pointed ones, some of whom had dark caramel skin, some of whom had strange jewelry that seemed to be inside their bodies, some of whom had the face of an adult yet who barely reached her own height, others whom towered over her as if they were walking trees, all sorts of people she could never describe to the sheltered people of her town, were dispersed in the mix of the diverse cities.

She would never forget the capital of Hyrule. Castle Town with its slate cobblestone paths and granite stone buildings. It contrasted greatly with her village embedded in the trees themselves. While her village was built entirely catered to the nature surrounding their home, this grand, varied city seemed as if it had torn down the very obstacles themselves and plopped down to suit its very structure. She marveled at the perfected circular lakes, and the tiny yards with perfect shrubs of all sorts of funny shapes. She stood amazed at the tall lights that floated over the streets at night, and the neatly cropped trees that only grew along the path in even rows.

Her favorite memory, however, was the mystic shows that even now captivated her. Her father had called them "magic demonstrations." Even now, she could not quite interpret what she saw, but she recalled the sparkling lights that shone over she performers, the animals that appeared out of no where, which her father referred to as 'summoned familiars', the different elements that seemed to float in mid air… but most fabulous to the young girl were the costumes the mystic women wore when flaunting their talents.

She regarded one woman in particular, Mystaurina, the famous wizardess from Myerizna, known as the floating city. She was not given many details of this dazzling place, but just looking at the performance of the witch gave her the impressions that the city held marvels. She could not remember now much more than the name of the sorceress, but her amethyst gemmed robe and glittering makeup surrounding her iris colored eyes she faintly recalled.

As she continued to muse over her memories of the grand adventure with her father, she thought of her sheltered daughter. She regretted that Lynette had to suffer the fate of confinement. Melidia herself despised the prison her village had become because of her own heritage. As the daughter of a man able to travel on constant adventures, she had never quite understood why she was unable to continue wandering through the vast world her father after she had returned from such an eye opening experience. She still recalled the ashen grim faces of the elders upon her return. She never quite knew what they had discussed with her father, but she could only assume it was their words that had restricted her to the village since. She would always remember the cruelty of seeing something so vast and impressive, and being told she would never be allowed to see it again, unaware of any reason she should have to be confined.

Knowing her daughter suffered the same restriction, while also seeing the sparkle in her eyes as Melidia shared stories and items from her trip so long ago, caused her eyes to glisten slightly from the droplets that formed along the edges. Because of her immense love for the child, she knew Lynette already strove to explore the world. Melidia was torn. She wanted to keep her child safe and give her the stability of living in the town she knew. Still, she knew her child would soon dream about greater things than the static town, if she hadn't already.

Melidia remembered, just this morning, fixing her baby's golden locks, tying her favorite, laced bow off to the side of her crown. Lynnette was particularly enamored with the gift from her beloved mother. The girl had commented on the garment many times asking its origin each time, wanting to hear about the bustling villages her mother vaguely remembered where she had picked up the ornament as a gift from her father. Each time Melidia sighed as the child piqued interest and showed a desire to visit a town that Melidia knew, atleast for now, was so far out of her reach.

Routinely, the two spent precious moments together as the birds sang their melody, in hopes that the citizens would rise and give the town its bustling charm. The pair had to wake up exceedingly early in order to spend their waking hours together before her child was taken in for 'lessons' from the head of Vryizd.

Melidia cringed at the thought of her child being forced to sit with the stiff silent overseers of her small town. Though their rule was implicit, it was absolute. She hated knowing the horrid men had absolute control over the fate of her child. She despised them taking her in to instruct her on, at least what she gathered from speaking with her child, about information on the world they kept the pair so tightly sealed from.

She knew Lynette desired to see the outside world, especially since the elders insisted on teaching her about it. She knew little of the "Legend" her cherub was to be apart of, but if she was so special, and to be so well informed of what she may face in life outside the wall, she could not comprehend why her child could not experience it herself. All she knew, was whenever so much as hinted by the young mother, the Elders gave her a piercing gaze and briskly diverted the conversation to something more appropriate in their closed minds.

Thinking this, she cursed the abhorrent patriarchs. Even at such a young age, Lynette was curious and bold. Though Melidia was proud of these traits, her stomach sunk as she considered the possibility that perhaps her child decided to leave the village behind and explore Hyrule herself. She had always considered taking her away from the prison of a town herself, allow her to discover the world, running from her assumed oppressors. Sitting here now, she worried that it was too late and she may never see her child again.

She stayed up well into the night, pacing, as she grew more concerned that her child may not return home. She resolved to search for her herself. As she descended from the raised house, she ran through the town searching in places she knew her child might like to visit. She looked through the small field of flowers Lynette sometimes picked and brought home to Melidia. She ran around the edge of the small lake that her daughter would sometimes swim in when she completed her lessons. She ran to all the farms where perhaps Lynette would be playing with the livestock.

She had circled around the entire village, passing several villagers who had not seen her since her afternoon break from her lessons. Melidia became fixed on the entrance of the settlement. As she neared the edge, she wondered if her child could really go unnoticed outside of a town where she was so strictly watched. She looked around the outskirts and noticed she was in fact being monitored by a wary eye that stood in a tower not too far from the exit. She decided perhaps she was being a bit brash. Perhaps the child was still in lessons, that the tutor simply lost track of time, teaching her about whatever nonsensical information that filled her head with dreams to crush.

As she reached Yandir's home, Melidia was informed that the child was released early from lessons today, and should be roaming about on her own. Her tutor had seemed unfazed by her disappearance, perhaps she had simply missed the girl and she was already at home, the child had always been one to explore their tiny town. As the moon shone brighter and higher in the sky above her, Melidia settled to check the house once more before she journeyed into the woods beyond. As she neared her house, she swore she noticed a large red fox darting away from the entrance of her estate.

As she slowly climbed the stars, her dread increased with every step she made towards the door, fearing that her child might in fact be truly gone. She was terrified, and shook at the thought of opening the door to an empty home. She would never forget the day her father was removed from her life, apparently gone from the town to venture the world, abandoning her with the old captors.

As her hand shook with increasing strength, she pulled open the door to the abode. She paced slowly towards the door she prayed housed Lynette. When she finally entered her baby's room, she noticed there was a soft golden light surrounding the surface of the bed. As she peered closer, she clutched her chest as a sigh of relief escaped her mouth, her heart feeling as if a huge anchor had just lifted, allowing her to continue sailing forward on the rough waters she knew would come in the future.

Though she was a bit concerned by the faith glow around her child, the feathered sheets that lined Lynette's body rose and sank gracefully, indicating she was perfectly sound. As she continued to gaze at her, the radiance slowly cooled and soon, all that remained was the peaceful, soft breath of the baby in front of her eyes. Melidia silently thanked the Goddess for returning her child, and vowed to take her into the outside world before her fear turned into a reality, and she truly lost her child. Though still a bit fazed by the glow, she could only assume the golden light had been proof of the goddess's protection, and the light was a spell to keep her safe.

Though never informed of her role in the Legend destined to unfold, Melidia knew Lynette was special, and the Goddess's protection seemed only fit to protect the girl from the true evils she was ordained by the divine to face in the future. Thus, the importance of the protective glow surrounding the child went forever unknown by the mother who loved her child more than anything else she would ever know in her life.

Author's Note:

I am so sorry for the delay on the chapter! I have been super busy with work and I travelled for about two weeks(which is why they gave me so many hours at work to make up for lost time) so I have had next to no time to write the story up .

Sorry again and hopefully that didn't deter you from sticking with me :O

I really wanted to post two chapters tonight as an apology, but I don't think I will be able to accomplish my goal for the week so I will try to write another for next week to make up for it, but I am going back to school soon so I will definitely be crazy busy with that because I have to move in and am working with a program for the exchange students who are new so craziness has not quite ended yet...

However, I will be back to normal after the next scheduled chapter so maybe I will just post a couple when I have time in between scheduled posts...

Anyways, thank you so much for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy the chapter :D

If you liked it, or even if you didn't, I would really appreciate feedback so I know what to work on next post!

Again, so so sorry I've been late :(

I will do my best to post the 27th, and try to post 3 new chapters by the 10th of September to make up for the weeks I've been off!

Love you all 3

-Alex


End file.
